Night latch cylinder



Feb. 13, 1934. s. k. FRAIM 1,947,386

7 NIGHT LATCH CYLINDER Filed Feb. 2, 1955 Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED s'rA res PATENT we e:

8 Claims.

I My invention relates to certain improvements of the mechanism contained in a night latch cylinder and also relates to improvements in the cylinder construction. 7

One object of my invention is to simplify the mechanism and to allow for the ready assemblin'g of the parts.

A further object is to form the cylinder and the escutoheon as a single die casting.

A still further object of the invention is to mount the stump or ward on a shaped plate held from turning in the cylinder and held longitudinally by the heads of the key bearing, and toprovide means for returning the key bearing to its original position after it has been turned to actuate the lock.

The invention also relates to certain improve ments which will be described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view ofrny improved night latch cylinder; 7

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the escutcheon and the end of the key bearing;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the cylinder;'

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 4. i, Fig. 6; i

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the.

line 6--6; Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a rear end view of the cylinder with the mechanism removed;

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the key bearing;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the stump plate;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the slotted disk at the rear end of the cylinder;

Fig. 11 .isa perspective view of the coiled spring for returning the key bearing to its normal po sition; a

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the rear washer which holds the parts in the cylinder;

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of the rod con necting the cylinder to the lock; and

Fig; 14. is a side View of the key.

In the present instancethe cylinder 1 is made integral with the escutchecn 2 which against the outside face of the door and may be ornamented in any manner desired. con are prongs 2a which center the cylinder in the door and prevent'the escutcheon from being turned. At the side of the cylinder and integral therewith are enlargements having longitudinal threaded openings 4 for the screws which attach the cylinder to the false plate on the opposite On the escntch side of the door. The key'bearing 5. islocated within the cylinder 1 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 and has a head 6 at its outer end and a head 7 at its rear end. The head 6 is flanged at 8 and projects through an opening in the front end of the cylinder, the flange 8 resting against the end 9 of the cylinder. In order to limit the movement of the key bearing, the flange is cut away to form a segmental slot 10 and a stop 11 cast integral with the casing projects into the segmental sl'ot 10 and limits the rctative movement of the key bearing. coiled spring-'12 acts to return the key bearing to its normal position after it has beenturned by the key to operate the locking mechanism. The preferred normal position of the key bearing is that shown in Fig. 2, the key slot being in the vertical position.

The spring 12'is located between'the rear head of the key bearing and a disk 13 at the rear or the casing as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. One 1 end of the spring extends into a hole 14 in the rear head 7 and the other end of the spring extends intoa slot 15 in the casing 1, Fig. 1. The disk 13 has a reduced projection 13a which fits against the inner head 7 of the key bearing 5. The spring surrounds the portion 13a, and the space is sufficient to allow the spring to move freely.

V The disk 13 is counterbored at 16, Fig. 10, and projecting into the counterbore is a stump 16a which is in direct line with the slot 17 in the key bearing 5. g

' The key a for the lock is shown in Fig. 14, and has a notch b at its end, which, when the key is inserted in the key bearing, allows the end of the key. to span the stump 16a of the disk 13, so that on turning the key the disk 13 will be turned.

The stump 16a set so that its longest dimension is at right angles to the slot in the key hearing 5 and the space between the ends of the stump 16a and the inner wall of the counterbore prevents a thin blade of steel engaging the disk, as

there are no angles or abutments against which a pick could operate to turn the disk. The stump 16a may be made integral with the dTmk or may be made separate and permanently secured thereto in any suitable manner. p

A counterbored washer 18 closes the inner end of the casing and rests on a shoulder on the casing, the extended flange 19 of the casing being turned over the beveled edge of the washer as shown in Fig. 5.

The rod 20 which couples the mechanism of the cylinder 1 with the locking mechanism is scored so that it can be cut to accommodate the thickness of the door to which the lock is applied.

At the casing end of the rod 20 is a cross-head 21 having two projections 21a, 21a. The head is located in the counterbored portion 22 of the washer 18, and the two projections extend into holes 1319 in the disk 13 coupling the disk to the rod.

The key bearing has two deep flanges 23 and 24. extending from one head 6 to the other head 7 and these flanges have ribs 23a and 24a projecting into the key slot 17 so as to enter slots in the key and these ribs may be located inany position on the flanges to allow different key changes to be made.

Mounted in the cylinder 1 is a stump plate 25- shaped as shown in Figs. 6 and 9. The edges of this plate extend into grooves 26 in the cylinder, and the portions 2'? of the plate bear against the inner wall of the cylinder. This construction holds the plate against turning in the cylinder.

The stump plate 25 is held longitudinally by the heads of the key bearing -5 as shown in Fig. 5. Projecting from the inner surface of the plate 25 is a stump 28 which is in position to prevent the turning of a key when inserted in the key slot unless this key is cut as at c, Fig. 14 at the proper point to clear the stump. While only one stump is shown and located in a certain position it will be understood that the stump may be located in any position, and more than a single stump may be formed on the plate to increase the number of key changes.

The key bearing 5 is independent of the disk 13 and rod 20 when the key is not in position, but when the key is fully inserted, the end of the key extends into the counterbore 16 in the disk 13, the end of the key spanning the stump 16a, and then both the key bearing and the disk, as well as the connecting rod 20, can be turned to operate the latch. This construction prevents the turning of the disk, rod and latch should force be used to turn the key bearing or the whole escutcheon unit.

It will be seen by the above construction that v the slot in the key bearing is normally in a vertical'position and when a key is inserted the end of the key engages the stump 16a of the disk 13. On turning the key the disk will be turned with the key bearing providing the notch in the key is in alignment with the stump 28. The rotating movement of the key bearing is limitedby. the stop 11 on the casing and as soon as the key hearing is released the spring 12 returns the key bearing to its normal position. The projections on the cross-head of the rod connecting the latch cylinder with the latch lock extend into the holes 13b of the disk so that the rod will turn with the disk and revolve the bearing attached to the latch. The connecting rod fits into a slot in this latch bearing, which is mounted in the latch, said bearing in turn being attached to the lever operating the bolt.

I claim:

1. The combination of a night latch cylinder; a key bearing mounted within the cylinder; a disk mounted at the back of the key bearing, said disk having a, reduced portion bearing against the end of the key bearing; a coil spring surrounding the reduced portion, one end of the spring being secured to the key bearing and the other end being secured to the casing; and a stop to limit the movement of the key bearing so that when the key is inserted in the key bearing and the bearing turned it will place tension upon the spring and when the bearing is released the spring will return the bearing to its normal position.

2. The combination of a night latch cylinder; a key bearing located in the cylinder and having inner and outer heads, said key bearing having a slot therein for a key; a stump plate fitting a portion of the cylinder, the ends of the stump plate engaging the cylinder so that it will remain in a fixed position; and a stump projecting from the plate in the path of a key inserted in the key bearing.

3. The combination of a night latch cylinder; a key bearing having inner and outer heads; a key slot in the key bearing; a stump plate located in the cylinder between the inner and outer heads of the key bearing, said stump plate engaging the cylinder so that it will be held in a nonrotative position in the cylinder and will be held from longitudinal movement by the heads of the key bearing; and a stump projecting from the stump plate into the path of a key inserted in the key bearing and turned.

4. The combination of a night latch cylinder having a flange at its outer end; a key bearing mounted in the cylinder and having inner and outer heads, the outer head bearing against the flange of the cylinder; 2. slot in the key bearing; ribs projecting into the slot to align with the grooves in the key; a disk having a stump arranged to be engaged-by the key, saiddisk bearing against the rear end of the key bearing; a connecting rod engaging the disk; and a washer'beyond the disk and holding the rod in position, the disk being secured to the cylinder.

5. The combination of a night latch cylinder having an integral escutcheon; a slotted key bearing mounted in the cylinder; a disk back of the key bearing and having a stump; a spring located between the inner end of the key bearing and the disk and a connecting rod engaging the disk, the disk being free to turn independently of the key hearing, when a key is not in position in the key bearing.

6. The combination of a night latch cylinder; 9. key bearing mounted therein; a counterbored disk back of the key bearing, having a stump located in the counterbore, and having two holes; a washer attached to the cylinder; and a connecting rod having a crosshead provided with two projections extending into the holes in the disk.

"I. The combination of a night latch cylinder; a key bearing mounted therein; a counterbored disk back of the key bearing, having an elongated stump located in the counterbore, the stump terminating short ofv the inner wall of the counterbore of the disk; and a connecting rod coupled to the disk.

8. The combination of a night latch cylinder; a key bearing mounted therein; acounterbored disk back of the key bearing, having a stump located in the counterbore and having. two holes; a counterbored washer back of the disk and secured to the cylinder; and a connecting rod having a crosshead located in the counterbore of the washer, said crosshead having projections extending into the holes in the disk.

SAMUEL R. FEAR/I. 

